MINUTES SURFACE TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
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MINUTES
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
March 22, 2019
The Surface Transportation Technical Committee (STTC) held a meeting on Friday,
March 22, 2019, at 1:30 pm, in the Transportation Council Room of the North Central Texas
Council of Governments (NCTCOG). The following STTC members or representatives were
present: Joe Atwood, Bryan Beck, Katherine Beck, David Boski, Kimberly Garduno
(representing Curt Cassidy), Ceason Clemens, John Cordary Jr., Hal Cranor, Clarence
Daugherty, Chad Davis, Pritam Deshmukh, Duane Hengst (representing Greg Dickens), David
Disheroon, Phil Dupler, Chad Edwards, Claud Elsom, Eric Fladager, Chris Flanigan, Ann Foss,
Ricardo Gonzalez, Tom Hammons, Ron Hartline, Kristina Holcomb, Kirk Houser, Terry Hughes,
Monsur Ahmed (representing Paul Iwuchukwu), Kelly Johnson, Sholeh Karimi, Alonzo Liñán,
Stanford Lynch, Alberto Mares, Wes McClure, Brian Moen, Mark Titus (representing Mark
Nelson), Jim O’Connor, Kevin Overton, Todd Plesko, Shawn Poe, John Polster, Tim Porter,
Greg Royster, Moosa Saghian, Jeff Kelly (representing David Salmon), Lori Shelton, Brian
Shewski, Walter Shumac III, Randy Skinner, Angela Smith, Cheryl Taylor, Matthew Tilke, Keith
Fisher (representing Gregory Van Nieuwenhuize), and Caroline Waggoner.
Others present at the meeting were: James Adkins, Vickie Alexander, Nick Allen, JT Auldridge,
Gustavo Baez, Tom Bamonte, Berrien Barks, Tara Bassler, Carli Baylor, Natalie Bettger, Sheri
Boyd, John Brunk, Molly Carroll, Brian Crooks, Cody Derrick, Kevin Feldt, Leah Gamble, Gypsy
Gavia, Austin Gibson, Kelli Gregory, Victor Henderson, Rebekah Hernandez, Amy Hodges,
Chris Hoff, Ernest Huffman, Yagnesh Jarmarwala, Amy Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Dan
Kessler, Gus Khankarli, Ken Kirkpatrick, Dan Lamers, April Leger, Mickey McGuire, Christian
Mendoza, Mindy Mize, Michael Morris, Jenny Narvaez, Jeff Neal, Evan Newton, Than Nguyen,
Johan Petterson, Vercie Pruitt-Jenkins, Chris Reed, Rylea Roderick, Kyle Roy, Kelly Selman,
Shaina Singleton, Shannon Stevenson, Ellen Throneberry, Mitzi Ward, Brendon Wheeler,
Douglas Wiersig, Amanda Wilson, Brian Wilson, and Kate Zielke.
1. Approval of February 22, 2019, Minutes: The minutes of the February 22, 2019, meeting
were approved as submitted in Reference Item 1. John Polster (M); Clarence Daugherty (S).
The motion passed unanimously.
2. Consent Agenda: The following items were included on the Consent Agenda.
2.1. Community College Partnership: A recommendation for Regional Transportation
Council approval to implement two new pilot projects related to students with Tarrant
County College (TCC), the Arlington Independent School District (AISD), and the
University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) was requested. Project A will provide Trinity
Metro transit passes for all Tarrant County College students and Project B will provide
transit for students between AISD campuses, TCC, UTA, and nearby park-and-ride
lots. Details were provided in Electronic Item 2.1.
2.2. Transportation Improvement Program Modifications: A recommendation for Regional
Transportation, Council (RTC) approval of revisions to the 2019-2022 Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP), provided in Electronic Item 2.2.1, and ratification of Paris
District Modification 2019-0170 (from February 2019 TIP revisions) that required a
scope change to be consistent with Mobility 2045, provided in Electronic Item 2.2.2,
was requested. Also included in the action was a recommendation for RTC approval
to allow staff to amend the Unified Planning Work Program and other planning
documents with TIP-related changes.
A motion was made to approve the items on the Consent Agenda. Bryan Beck (M); John
Polster (S). The motion passed unanimously.3. 2017-2018 CMAQ/STBG Funding Program: Management and Operations, NCTCOG-
Implemented, and Regional/Air Quality Programs: Cody Derrick presented
recommendations to extend existing and fund new Regional Transportation Council (RTC)
Regional Air Quality and Management and Operations programs and projects through the
2017-2018 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ)/Surface
Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) Funding Program. He noted that the Surface
Transportation Technical Committee (STTC) and the Regional Transportation Council (RTC)
typically consider extending existing and funding new Management and Operations and
Regional Air Quality projects and programs every few years. The last review was completed
in 2014 and 2015 with projects funded through Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. Using Transportation
Improvement Program (TIP) action last year, projects were extended into FY2019 if carry
over funds were insufficient. The purpose of the effort is to enable staff to respond to certain
planning and implementation assistance requests, as well as assign resources for RTC
priorities, and ensures that programs and projects continue through FY2020 and FY2022.
The program also focuses on air quality initiatives implemented to meet air quality
conformity requirements. Efforts generally include three project types: 1) regional/air quality
(vanpool, clean air, traffic signal retiming, etc.), 2) management and operations (Mobility
Assistance Patrol, transit operations, etc.), and 3) regional projects/programs (aviation,
Freeway Incident Management, data collection, etc.). Mr. Derrick noted that blue text
indicated changes since the item was presented at the February 22, 2019, meeting. Staff
proposed a subtotal of $67.4 million which includes CMAQ, STBG, Regional Toll Revenue,
and RTC Local funds. In addition, staff proposed the removal of $1.23 million in projects
(down from the previously proposed $1.27 million presented last month) for $66.17 million in
funds requested for FY2020-FY2022 projects. The list of recommended projects for
consideration were provided in Electronic Item 3.1, and details on the funding program were
provided in Electronic Item 3.2. A portion of the requested funding, $28.78 million, will be
used by North Central Texas Council of Governments staff and consultants to implement
regional projects and programs with the $37.39 million balance being passed through to
other agencies in the region. The schedule for this effort was reviewed. A motion was made
to recommend Regional Transportation Council approval of the proposed list of programs
and projects to fund through the 2017-2018 CMAQ/STBG Funding Program: Regional/Air
Quality and Management and Operations Programs, and to administratively amend the
2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program/Statewide Transportation Improvement
Program and other planning/administrative documents to incorporate the changes. John
Polster (M); Jim O’Connor (S). The motion passed unanimously.
4. 2017-2018 CMAQ/STBG Funding Program: Assessment Policy: Evan Newton
presented proposed Assessment Policy Program projects to be funded through the through
the 2017-2018 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program
(CMAQ)/Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBG) Funding Program. He noted
that the purpose of the program is to award CMAQ and STBG funds to transportation
projects that provide an economic development component to adjacent property. In each
case, the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) will be repaid for at least a portion of its
contribution over time through value capture mechanisms. A regional map of the five
proposed projects was highlighted. Mr. Newton noted that changes since presented at the
February 22, 2019, meeting were indicated in blue text. Proposed funding totals
approximately $28 million and includes proposed RTC grants and loans but does not include
engineering funding previously approved by the RTC on the project in the City of Haslet.
Details on the projects proposed for funding were provided in Electronic Item 4.1. Additional
information on the funding program was provided in Electronic Item 4.2. For the Ferguson
Parkway-City of Anna project, staff proposed a grant to fund only engineering until other
funding partners are finalized. The city expects to utilize a roadway impact fee to target and
capture the economic development value of this project. The second project is the
2southbound frontage road of SH 360 in Grand Prairie. Staff proposed to partially fund this
project as a grant. The remaining portion will be repaid to the RTC over a 10-year period
using Tax Increment Financing (TIF). For the Avondale-Haslet Road/Haslet
Parkway/Intermodal Parkway project, which received Better Utilizing Investments to
Leverage Development (BUILD) Grant funding, staff proposed for the RTC to assume the
responsibility for any cost overruns for the construction phase. The BUILD Grant language
gives room for any non-federal or local funding sources to cover construction contingencies,
so staff proposed to use Regional Toll Revenue (RTR) funds for any cost overruns should
they occur. As previously presented, the City of Haslet will repay $6.9 million to the RTC
over a proposed 20-year period using a Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone, with the
possibility of a TIF or other mechanism. Finally, he noted the Butler Housing and Dallas
Central Business District projects and that the funding for these projects are meant for the
engineering portion since these projects are in a preliminary stage of planning. The timeline
for the effort was reviewed. A motion was made to recommend Regional Transportation
Council approval of the proposed list of projects to fund through the 2017-2018
CMAQ/STBG: Assessment Policy Program and to administratively amend the 2019-2022
Transportation Improvement Program/Statewide Transportation Improvement Program and
other planning/administrative documents to incorporate the changes. Bryan Beck (M); John
Polster (S). The motion passed unanimously.
5. Approval of Funding for Red River Navigation System Feasibility Study: Michael
Morris presented information regarding the Red River Navigation System feasibility study
being discussed by the Texas Legislature. In July 2014, the Regional Transportation Council
was briefed on a potential partnership project among Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and
Texas to extend the navigable waters on the Red River from Denison, Texas to the Gulf of
Mexico. Discussion included a potential action item to approve $500,000 contingent on
Texas Legislature approval of the feasibility study. Mr. Morris noted that legislation has been
introduced and staff is working to schedule a meeting with both bill sponsors. A motion was
made to recommend Regional Transportation Council approval of $500,000 for a Red River
Navigation System feasibility study contingent on support of the project by the Texas
Legislature. John Polster (M); Alonzo Liñán (S). The motion passed unanimously.
6. 2020 Unified Transportation Program and Regional 10-Year Plan Update: Brian Dell
provided information on the next update to the Regional 10-Year Plan, as well as
information regarding the 2020 Unified Transportation Program (UTP). The Regional
10-Year Plan is a requirement of House Bill 20 and includes projects funded with Category 2
(MPO selected), Category 4 (TxDOT district selected), and Category 12 (TTC selected)
funds. The first Regional 10-Year Plan was approved in December 2016. In August 2017,
the plan was updated to ensure that Proposition 1 projects remained fully funded and that
the LBJ East project could proceed, and in August 2018 the plan was updated in conjunction
with the development of the 2019 UTP. Since that time, the Texas Department of
Transportation (TxDOT) has begun development of the 2020 UTP. Staff has coordinated
with the TxDOT districts regarding updates to existing projects and potential new projects.
To satisfy a deadline of January 31,2019, set by TxDOT, North Central Texas Council of
Governments (NCTCOG) staff developed a preliminary project listing that included project
revisions and potential new projects. As part of the process, projects were required to be
scored. Projects proposed for the update were classified into five groups: 1) projects
approved by the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) that have also been approved in
the UTP, 2) projects approved by the RTC that have not been approved in the UTP,
3) projects that are being proposed for the first time for RTC approval, 4) proposed projects
that need funding to advance preconstruction activities such as right-of-way acquisition, and
5) projects proposed to be removed from the 10-year plan project list, funded with other
sources, or are future candidates for funding. Mr. Dell highlighted the project scoring
3methodology and noted that details were provided in Electronic Item 6.3. Overall, the scores
are the result of a combination of selection and prioritization. Selection scoring was
compromised of system selection (part of a larger regional network or phased
implementation) and technical selection (project need such as safety, pavement and bridge
condition, and others). Prioritization scoring was included in response to the State’s interest
in projects that are ready to let within a 10-year window. He provided additional detail on the
fourth category of projects; corridor preservation. During NCTCOG staff coordination with
TxDOT, districts expressed the need to advance preconstruction activities, notably right-of-
way acquisition, on corridors that may be added to the 10-Year Plan in the future. In order to
do so, a funding commitment from the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is
required. Staff has developed a list of projects based on input from the TxDOT districts and
proposed to use a small amount of Category 2 funding for each of the projects. Projects
were included on page 9 of Electronic Item 6.1 that was emailed to members prior to the
meeting. He noted the list includes only TxDOT Dallas District projects, but that the offer has
been extended to the Fort Worth and Paris districts as well. Mr. Dell noted that staff will
continue to finalize project selection/update efforts and seek Committee and RTC approval.
Staff will then await the result of the Texas Transportation Commission decision on the next
round of Category 12 Clear Lanes funding. UTP approval is anticipated in August, and staff
proposed to continue developing a program that aims to preserve right-of-way along major
corridors that may be added to the 10-Year Plan in the future. A timeline for the effort was
reviewed. Details were provided in Electronic Item 6.2. Michael Morris discussed the
proposed $2 million in Surface Transportation Block Grant Program funding for IH 30 in
Electronic Item 6.1, emailed to members. Staff proposed to fund an effort that would look at
design elements needed to accommodate automated and electric vehicles along the
corridor (the first in the country). He noted that this design effort is conditional that efforts
would not hold up project implementation. John Polster noted that there seemed to be
several Category 2 (MPO selected) and Category 4 (TxDOT district selected) projects that
have been approved by the RTC but that did not make it into the UTP. He asked what the
region’s position was to deal with the Texas Transportation Commission when it chooses
not to include Category 2 projects in the UTP that have been selected and approved by the
RTC. Brian Dell noted that in a few cases, more work may be needed to determine a
project’s scope or alignment or they may not be fully funded and that is part of the reason
they have not been added to the UTP. Mr. Morris noted that the State’s perspective is that
these are State funds and that there is not a clear understanding of the federal role
regarding transportation and therefore the RTC’s role as the MPO. He noted that
approximately $340 million of the original Category 12 allocation remains unfunded. Staff
has worked closely with the TxDOT districts and expressed the need for the remaining
projects to be funded. If staff cannot convince TxDOT to fund the commitments from
December 2016 with Category 12 funds, then the projects would need to be funded with
Category 2. Mr. Polster proposed a strategic suggestion. He noted that the Texas
Transportation Commission (TTC) understands the region cannot move forward on a project
if it is not in the UTP. Likewise, the TTC cannot move forward on a project not contained in
the Mobility Plan. He proposed that since the TTC is disregarding the federal obligations of
the MPO, projects proposed for Category 12 funding to be removed from the Mobility Plan
until agreement is reached on the importance of funding the projects selected by the RTC.
Mr. Morris noted that he understood the strategy of Mr. Polster’s proposal and that the
Committee should considers the suggestion as staff moves forward.
7. Legislative Update: Nicholas Allen provided an update on federal and State legislative
actions related to transportation and air quality issues affecting the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Regarding federal actions, he noted that the President recently published his Fiscal Year
(FY) 2020 proposed budget and that there has been no movement on the proposal by
Congress to date. Regarding State legislative actions. Mr. Allen noted that the bill filing
4deadline was March 8 and that over 8,500 bills were filed. All House bills have been referred
to committee. In addition, the Lieutenant Governor released his priority bill list, which
primarily echoes the priority bills released by the Governor. He discussed Senator Jane
Nelson’s bill, SB 500, that includes provisions for Hurricane Harvey relief and the Medicaid
shortfall. He also briefly highlighted bills related to the Regional Transportation Council
Legislative Program such as red light cameras, tolling, and technology. Staff will continue to
provide updates to the Committee throughout the legislative session.
8. Start of 2019 Ozone Season: Jenny Narvaez provided information on the 2019 ozone
season, which began on March 1 and continues through November 30. She noted that the
region is currently under two ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Nine
counties are in nonattainment of the 2015, 70 parts per billion (ppb) standard. In addition,
ten counties remain in nonattainment for the 2008, 75 ppb standard and the region is in the
process of being reclassified from moderate to serious for this standard. The historical
ozone exceedance day trend was highlighted, as well as the ozone design value trend that
will be the three-year average of the fourth highest value from the years 2017-2019. As of
the day of the meeting, the region’s design value was 70 ppb. Ms. Narvaez also noted that
the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has multiple upcoming air
quality initiatives such as funding opportunities, an April 26 EarthX event, and Air North
Texas events such as campus Clean Air Action days, Air Quality Awareness week, and
Clean Air Action Day on June 21. Members and local agencies were encouraged to sign up
to become Air North Texas Partners at www.airnorthtexas.org. She noted that staff will
continue to provide updates to members throughout the 2019 ozone season. Details were
provided in Electronic Item 8. John Polster noted that NCTCOG has been successful in
communicating to the public about ozone alerts and Clean Air Action days, but that the
general public is still confused about the improvements made to the region’s air quality,
especially considering the reclassification to serious nonattainment. He encouraged
NCTCOG to increase its public communication regarding the progress made in improving
the region’s air quality since the early 1990s despite the increases in vehicle miles of travel
and population. Ms. Narvaez noted that staff has presented a graphic that shows the
decreasing design values relative to the increasing population and vehicle miles of travel,
although it is not reported regularly. Mr. Morris noted that Mr. Polster’s point was valid and
that tracking of visibility could be added as well. In addition, he noted that public involvement
staff will develop material to communicate the progress made in the region regarding air
quality, and that an update will be provided to members at the April 26 meeting.
9. Title VI Program May 2019 Update: Kate Zielke presented information on the current
update to the Transportation Department’s Title VI Program which describes how the North
Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) implements nondiscrimination efforts
related to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and environmental justice. Title VI prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin. National origin also applies to
anyone who cannot read, speak or write English with proficiency. Additional statutes under
the Title VI prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, sex, age, or disability. Additionally,
NCTCOG complies with an Executive Order on environmental justice to ensure that low
income and minority groups are considered in the transportation planning process.
NCTCOG implements these efforts by including an environmental justice analysis in each
Metropolitan Transportation Plan, through public involvement techniques that seek to reach
all residents, by including nondiscrimination in call for projects, and seeking equitable
distribution of contracts through a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program. In addition,
the Transportation Department has a Title VI specialist that provides training to staff. Staff
also participates in compliance reviews and audits, as well as monitors legislation and
regulations to ensure compliance. Contents required for inclusion in the Title VI Program
were highlighted and detailed in Electronic Item 9. She noted the majority of the Title VI
5Program describes how NCTCOG implement Title VI nondiscrimination efforts and monitors
subrecipients, which is required for direct and primary recipients of Federal Transit
Administration funding. The program is required to be updated every three years, and the
most recent update of the Title VI Program was 2016. Ms. Zielke provided an overview of
the changes made for the 2019 update. A copy of the draft NCTCOG Title VI Program May
2019 Update is available at www.nctcog.org/nctcg/media/Transportation/DocsMaps/
Involve/InputMeetings/2019/02/Title-VI-Draft.pdf. A copy of the NCTCOG Public
Participation Plan is available at www.nctcog.org/nctcg/media/Transportation/DocsMaps/
Involve/InputMeetings/2019/02/PPP_Title-VI.pdf. Regarding the Title VI complaint
procedures, she noted administrative changes have been made to the procedures so that
the narrative better matches the flow chart. In addition, the procedures have been translated
into Spanish. She added that the complaint procedures will be updated in the Public
Participation Plan and other documents as needed. She also noted that NCTCOG lists any
transit related Title VI investigations, complaints, and lawsuits and added that no formal
complaints have been received by NCTCOG. One comment was received by NCTCOG and
communicated to Dallas Area Rapid Transit, and another transit agency reported a phone
complaint. Ms. Zielke noted that the Title VI Program Update also includes updates to the
Public Participation Plan. This plan was updated in 2018 and is again being updated due to
the new complaint procedures. The demographic profile in the Title VI Program has also
been updated, as well as new relevant content from Mobility 2045 and the new
environmental justice index. Monitoring subrecipients for compliance is also included. She
noted that the draft Title VI Program May 2019 Update includes the updated RTC Bylaws,
and the final version will include the NCTCOG Executive Board Bylaws that were also
updated in 2018. The timeline for this effort was reviewed. She noted that due to the impacts
to the Public Participation Plan, this Title VI Program Update requires a 45-day comment
period which closes in early April. If approved, the final document will be submitted to the
FTA on June 1. Additional information on the Title VI Program is available at
www.nctcog.org/ej.
10. Mobility 2045 Update: Kevin Feldt provided an update on efforts to implement Mobility
2045. He highlighted recent Regional Transportation Council initiatives to implement Mobility
2045, including the most recently approved performance measures and targets and project
applications submitted for the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant funding. He also
highlighted initiatives addressing the 2019 emphasis areas. Related to high-speed rail
engineering and planning, the Fort Worth to Laredo study to refine potential corridors and
technology options has been initiated. In addition, the North Central Texas Council of
Governments (NCTCOG) is working with the Federal Railroad Administration on the Dallas
to Fort Worth Environmental Impact Statement study. Several initiatives are moving forward
regarding public transportation engineering and planning, including the Cotton Belt, two
Community College Partnership pilot programs, and others. Related to tolled facilities, the
LBJ East project continues to advance, and technology advances include US 75. Looking
forward to the next large corporation locating in the region, work has begun on the
downtown Dallas initiative and the Oak Farms Dairy transportation initiative. Mr. Feldt also
noted construction is underway on the Southern Gateway project, the Fort Worth to Dallas
trail, and various city Veloweb trail projects. Initiatives completed since adoption of Mobility
2045 include the Wise County Transportation Study, the Butler Housing Transportation
Study, the NCTCOG Gentrification Report, and the opening of TEXRail. An overview of
various project development locations was presented. Mr. Feldt noted staff will continue
efforts to implement projects and programs contained in Mobility 2045.
11. Unmanned Aircraft Systems Safety and Integration Task Force: Ernest Huffman
provided an overview of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Safety and Integration Task Force initiated by NCTCOG
6in October 2018. The purpose of the task force is to promote and accelerate the safe and
efficient integration of UAS into the Dallas-Fort Worth airspace and mitigate reckless UAS
operations. Task force members currently include airports, military bases, public safety
entities, UAS industry representatives, NCTCOG staff from multiple departments, cities,
counties, the Texas Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and
academia. From the task force, working groups focused on four disciplines have been
established. The Education and Public Awareness group is focused on the education of the
general public on how to properly use UAS technology and to promote public awareness.
The Legislation group will look at local and federal legislation to ensure that it aligns with the
goals of the region, and the Training group will focus on training from the grade school to
professional level. Finally, the Integration working group will work on the safe integration of
UAS technology platforms into the region’s airspace. Each working group is tasked with
identifying issues, making recommendations, identifying those task force members that can
provides solutions, determining if a solution is scalable, identifying funding for possible
solutions, and reporting all findings to the task force. The structure of the task force was
highlighted, as well as items earmarked to begin in the near future. Proposed efforts include
Know Before You Fly training designed to educate the general public on the safe use of
UAS. Comments on pending UAS bills, as well as the letters of support and nonsupport are
also proposed. Regarding training, the task force is interested in creating teacher and CTE
director externships as a resource to provide standardized education on UAS platforms.
From an integration standpoint, there is interest in an Urban Air Mobility Study to ensure
agencies operating air taxis operate efficiently. Mr. Huffman noted that the Task Force will
meet on March 25. The Lone Star UAS Center of Excellence and Innovation will present on
its program to test air taxi platforms, UAS Werx will provide information on its partnership
with the Mineral Wells Airport to be one of the first in the country to have concurrent
unmanned and manned flight operations, and the UAS technology provider, SqwaQ, will
debut its new beyond line of sight 4G LTE drone link technology. In addition, NCTCOG will
present on UAS opportunities to fill mobility gaps. He noted that the next working group
meetings are scheduled for April 3. Dan Kessler encouraged member participation on the
Task Force and Working Groups and discussed the importance of the general public being
aware of the rules for UAS operation. Chad Edwards encouraged staff to seek out
opportunities to share with the general public the existence of and rules for UAS operation to
ensure the message is being received by those for which it is most relevant.
12. Fast Facts: Michael Morris highlighted projects in the IH 35W 3C area, included in the
graphic provided as Electronic Item 12.1, and described how four different funding elements
are being implemented to create a system of projects.
Michael Morris also presented the latest regional congestion data from INRIX that indicates
the Dallas-Fort Worth region’s congestion has decreased from the 20th most congested
region in the country to the 21st most congested as the region experiences the benefits of
project implementation. Related graphics were provided in Electronic Item 12.2.
Mr. Morris provided an update on Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant applications for
the North Texas Multimodal Operations, Velocity, Efficiency and Safety Program projects.
He noted later refinements to the bridge projects from transit agencies increased the cost so
five projects were submitted in the application instead of seven in order to be below the
constraints of the grant guidelines.
Jeff Neal provided information about the Texas Federal Lands Access Program grant that
provides funding for projects that give access to, are adjacent to, or are located within
federal lands. Approximately $3.2 million in funding is available for various projects. The
deadline for applications is April 29.
7Kevin Kokes highlighted two recent publications by the Federal Highway Administration. The
Bikeway Selection Guide focuses on appropriate planning and guidance for selecting bicycle
accommodations as a part of a project. The guide is available at https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/
ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18077.pdf. He noted an upcoming webinar on March 26
from 12-1 pm during which this guide will be covered n more details. He also noted the
Literature Review resource guide for separating bicyclists from traffic provided at
https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/ped_bike/tools_solve/docs/fhwasa18030.pdf.
Camille Fountain noted the next Traffic Incident Management Executive Level Course is
scheduled for May 2 from 10 am-12 pm in the Transportation Council Room. The training is
geared towards agency decision and policy makers. A flyer with registration information was
distributed at the meeting. She noted that attendance at incident management training is
one of the scoring components in upcoming incident management equipment purchase call
for projects and is also a screening criterion for photogrammetry training. Additional
information, including agency attendance, is available at www.nctcog.org/FIM.
Amy Hodges discussed upcoming air quality funding opportunities. She noted funding is
available through the Fire, Ambulance, and Services (FAST) Fund administered by the
Texas Department of Agriculture. Additional information is available at
www.nctcog.org/trans/quality/air/funding-and-resources/fundingvehicle.
Amy Hodges also highlighted upcoming Dallas-Fort Worth Clean Cities events. She noted
that NCTCOG has partnered with transportation energy partners to host a half day fleet
workshop; Sirens, Schools, and Shippers. The workshop will take place on April 26 as part
of the EarthX 2019 celebration at Fair Park. A flyer with additional information was
distributed at the meeting. Additional upcoming Clean Cities events can be viewed at
www.dfwcleancities.org/dfw-clean-cities-meetings.
Carli Baylor noted that February public meeting minutes, provided to members in Electronic
Item 12.3, contained a summary of the information presented and comments received at the
February 11, 2019, public meeting at which staff presented the future of transit and provided
updates on both the Volkswagen settlement and the Title VI Program.
Carli Baylor also noted the April public meeting notice distributed at the meeting in
Reference Item 12.7. The April 8, 2019, meeting will include information on updates to
several long-range planning initiatives and the 511DFW Traveler Information System.
Victor Henderson noted that the Public Comments Report, which contains general public
comments received from January 20-February 19, 2019, was provided in Electronic
Item 12.4.
The current Local Motion was provided in Electronic 12.5, and transportation partner
program reports were provided in Electronic Item 12.6.
13. Other Business (Old and New): Bryan Beck reminded staff of the request to provide
members an update on the legacy projects that were proposed for deletion. Michael Morris
noted that this update will be included on the April 26, 2019, Committee agenda. Clarence
Daugherty thanked staff for their assistance on US 75 efforts. Dan Kessler introduced new
North Central Texas Council of Governments staff member, James Atkins.
14. Next Meeting: The next meeting of the Surface Transportation Technical Committee is
scheduled for 1:30 pm on April 26, 2019, at the North Central Texas Council of
Governments.
The meeting adjourned at 3:05 pm.
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